


Unauthorized Visitor

by Ezorai



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/M, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-11
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-12 16:34:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,126
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29887407
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ezorai/pseuds/Ezorai
Summary: Two months into their final year at Hogwarts, Ginny and Hermione are missing their boyfriends. Harry has spent that time finding a way to visit them since the secret passages had been closed.
Relationships: Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley
Kudos: 3





	Unauthorized Visitor

_November 7th, 1998_

Ginny sat down at the Gryffindor table for breakfast with a sigh. The fall term was crawling by. It was easier than the previous year; she was at least able to write to Harry. After four months of being with him every day, however, seeing him only once a month was a big adjustment. The last Hogsmeade weekend had been three weeks ago, and there were still two weeks before the opening match of the quidditch season where Harry would be able to visit for the afternoon to watch her play against Slytherin. 

She had received a letter earlier in the week that hinted Harry might have found a way to sneak into the castle to see her, but he had refused to tell her what it might be. She was doubtful that he had been scouring the village for a new secret passageway, but she and Hermione couldn’t come up with a better idea for what his new method might be.

As the post owls started to stream into the hall, the two girls scanned for Pigwidgeon. Ginny pointed as she spotted him flying for Hermione. “News from the boys?” she asked.

“Ron says that Harry was really happy about something this week, but he wouldn’t say what.” Hermione glanced around and lowered her voice, “Do you think it’s connected to his new way into the castle?”

“I don’t think so, he would have let Ron in on that if only to distract you,” Ginny said with a smirk. Hermione grinned back at her. 

They both looked up as a few of the other students in the hall gasped. One of them was pointing up in the air.

A jet black falcon had entered through the upper windows the post owls used to deliver the mail and had begun circling the hall as if it was looking for something. Hermione shrieked as it dove straight at the two of them with a cry. The bird pulled up just in time to settle on the table in front of Ginny.

“Oh, you’re gorgeous,” Ginny said reverently, causing the bird to preen. “You have a letter for me?” she asked, noticing the small roll of parchment clutched in the bird’s talons. It let go of the letter and looked at the table for something to eat before hopping over to Ginny’s plate. As she opened it up, she recognized Harry’s untidy scrawl.

_Gin-  
I was in America last week for training and I found out that they apparently use falcons to deliver their mail. I don't think I'm ready for a new owl yet, but I'm sick of begging Ron to borrow Pig when I want to send you something._

_As a result: meet Shadow._

_Don’t worry, he’s very well trained. He’ll even hop onto your arm if you hold it out to him. You should try it. I’ve told him to wait with you until you have a message for me, so don’t be alarmed if he sticks around for a bit. He’s a big fan of bacon.  
Harry_

Ginny looked up from the letter to find the last line of the letter was true. “I haven’t heard of birds other than owls being used for mail,” she commented as she watched the bird eat the last of her bacon.

“Sirius used to use tropical birds as message carriers when he was sending letters to Harry while he was on the run. Maybe it’s from another country. Who is the letter from?” Hermione asked. 

“It’s from Harry. He said he got this bird so he doesn’t have to share with Ron anymore. I guess he wasn’t ready for an owl to replace Hedwig yet,” Ginny said sadly.

“Did Harry say what his name was?” Hermione asked. 

“Er,” she glanced back down at the letter. “Shadow. I’m gonna head back up to the dorm so that I can be alone while I write a reply,” Ginny sighed, getting up from the table to leave the hall. “I’ll meet you in the library when I’m done.” 

She hesitated, glancing back at the letter in her hand. She eyed the bird nervously before holding out her arm. He leapt up onto it with a squawk. She smiled at him and made her way towards the exit, ignoring the whispers coming from the other students around her.

* * *

When Ginny finally reached her dorm, she looked at the falcon still perched on her arm. “C’mon, you. Off. I need my arm to write.” The bird looked around the room looking for a new spot to perch. “You can hang out on my bed until I’m done,” she added, noticing his predicament.

The bird hopped down and settled himself near the edge of the bed as Ginny pulled some parchment and a quill out of her bag. She moved over to the desk where she had a view out the window towards the quidditch pitch. 

“I always wondered what it was like in the girl’s dorms.”

Ginny shrieked, spinning around as she pulled her wand out and crying, _“Stupefy!”_

Harry yelped, wordlessly conjuring a shield charm to deflect Ginny’s stunner. When nothing followed the first spell, he seemed to recover. “I hand deliver you a letter in the Great Hall and come all the way up to Gryffindor Tower with you, and the first thing you do is try to hex me. That’s no way to greet your boyfriend after three long weeks, Gin,” he said with a smirk.

“What? How? What?” Ginny stammered. 

“I told you I found a new way into the castle. Did you doubt me?” 

Ginny hadn’t quite recovered. “How did you get in here?” 

“Uh… you carried me. Not even two minutes ago.”

“Huh? Where’s the bird?” 

“You mean you didn’t recognize him?” Harry shook his head and sighed dramatically in feigned exasperation, his grin growing wider, “You think you mean something to someone and they don’t even notice you’re there…” 

Ginny blinked. 

“What? Harry? Did you-”

“Yeah!” he said, beaming, “It took me a couple months to get it down, but I think Sirius and my dad would be thrilled.” Harry shifted into the bird and back again. “It’s not really a form that would have helped with Remus, but…” He trailed off, his smile faltering a bit. 

“Harry, it’s brilliant,” Ginny engulfed him in a hug. 

The door to the dorm burst open, Hermione rushing in towards her bed across the room. 

“Hi Harry, hi Ginny. I made it all the way to my table in the library before I realized that the book I needed wasn't in my bag.”

She sighed, bending down to open up her trunk and disappearing inside to rummage around before continuing to speak. “And then, of course, I discover that the only two copies the library has were already checked out to other students. it was very frus-”

She cut off, her body going completely still as her brain caught up with what she had seen upon entering the room. Very slowly, her head started to rise until she was staring at the two of them, mouth gaping in a clear look of shock, to see them still standing next to Ginny's bed and half hugging each other.

 _“What?”_ she said, dumbfounded.

“What do you mean, ‘what?’” Ginny said, keeping a straight face, “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah,” Harry began, his mouth twitching up at the corner as he struggled to follow Ginny’s lead. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost. Although considering there’s a few that live here in the castle, that shouldn’t be this much of a shock.”

“How are you here?” Hermione shouted.

Ginny cocked her head to the side, “I walked,” she said, feigning confusion. “I even told you I was coming up here, remember? I said we could meet in the library when I was done.”

Hermione’s face reddened in frustration. “No, I meant Harry!”

“I came to visit Ginny. I’ve been doing it every chance I get ever since you guys came back to school without me.”

“I know that! I-”

Ginny cut in before she could go any farther, “Then why are you asking if you already know the answer!”

Hermione was visibly frustrated now, but even Ginny was struggling to keep a straight face. The game was up when Harry lost control and burst out laughing, collapsing backwards onto Ginny’s bed.

It took them a moment to get ahold of themselves because each time they started to calm down, they would see the look on Hermione’s face and burst out laughing again. At last, Hermione was able to ask her questions. 

“How did you get here, Harry? Not just into the castle, but into the girl’s dorms? The stairwell is charmed to not let you in.”

“Oh, that part was easy. Ginny carried me,” he replied with a grin. “As for getting into the castle, I flew. It was an exhausting flight. Next time I’m _definitely_ apparating at least to Hogsmeade.”

Ginny facepalmed. “You flew all the way here from London?”

“No, but I started to. I was going for about an hour before I realized I only really needed to fly the last bit. As much as I love flying, my arms are killing me.”

Hermione cut in, “Your arms? How much strain are your arms under while you fly? I wouldn’t have expected much since otherwise you’d have trouble flying and catching the snitch or carrying the quaffle at the same time.”

Harry and Ginny exchanged a look. “I, er, wasn’t using my broom…” he trailed off.

Hermione’s jaw dropped. “You can fly without a broom?” she shouted.

“Yeah, as of three days ago. Ron was pretty frustrated when I wouldn’t tell him what I was excited about.”

“I can’t believe you figured out unsupported flight! This is fascinating! How did you do it?” she blurted out in a rush.

“Like this!” he said with a grin before transforming back into the falcon.

Hermione’s jaw dropped again.

“You became an animagus, on your own, in two months?”

“Yep! I was planning to do it anyway, but once we realized that all the passageways were closed off last year, I knew I could use it to sneak into the castle the same way Sirius did back in third year. I figured I’d need to walk in, but when I discovered my form was a falcon I was thrilled.”

“You became an animagus, on your own, in two months, for the sole purpose of sneaking off with your girlfriend?”

Now it was Ginny’s turn to cut in, “I think it’s brilliant,” she said, beaming at Harry.

“Ginny is obviously an important factor, but I want to see you too, you know. You’re still my best friend,” he paused for a moment before amending quietly, “my sister.”

Hermione’s face softened a bit before she threw her arms around him in one of her signature hugs. 

“Oi! That one’s mine, get your own!” Ginny said, throwing a pillow at Hermione.

Harry laughed. “Don’t worry Hermione. I wanted to tell Gin first, but now that I have, I’ll be offering to teach Ron as well. That way we can both come and visit you guys on the weekends.”

“Sounds good. This term has been terrible without you guys,” Hermione said, moving across the room with her book in hand. “I’ll leave you two to it, then. I want to finish this essay today,” she stated, pulling open the door. 

“Potter! I seem to recall you _declined_ my invitation to return to Hogwarts this year.” The group jumped at the sight of Professor McGonagall waiting for them in the hallway.

“Erm, yeah, I did-” Harry started to reply.

“Then what, may I ask, are you doing here?”

“I-” Harry began.

“I am sure that Miss Weasley and Miss Granger can survive without you until the next Hogsmeade weekend.” The three teenagers groaned.

Harry was almost afraid to ask. “When will that be?”

“November twenty-eighth.” They groaned again.

“How did you know I was here, Professor?” Harry asked. It was going to be a long year if he wasn’t able to see Ginny outside of Hogsmeade weekends and Quidditch games. Professor McGonagall’s mouth became very thin as she turned to regard him, seeming to decide whether or not to tell them.

“I learned from the mistakes of my predecessors,” she said shortly, “I put a ward in the castle so that I would be alerted if there were any animagi in the castle. I made my way over when I was alerted that someone transformed.” 

She turned to the two girls, “I trust you two can find something appropriate to do without me?” they nodded. “Come along Potter. I’ll walk you to the gates.” 


End file.
